A cyclical half-an-hour load-shedding will come into force in Kerala from Monday. The morning schedule will be between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and the evening between 6.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m.
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has taken the decision after the State Cabinet gave it the sanction to take ‘appropriate action’ in the face of a looming crisis.
The State Government had been waiting for the annual SSLC examinations to get over with to declare ‘the inevitable’, as an industry source put it.
Industries would not be faced with a ‘power cut’, but might need to restrict consumption to 80 per cent of the recent averages.
The normal power tariff would be applicable only to 80 per cent of the normal consumption. Any excess consumption would be billed at the rate at which the KSEB buys supplies from the naphtha-fired power station of NTPC Kayamkulam.
The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, said that there was little scope for getting more power from the Central pool since most donor States were facing shortages. But the current share from the Central pool was likely to be maintained, though problems could arise if higher allocations are not received.
Mr Chandy said that the KSEB had sought financial aid for purchase of power at a higher cost, which is being considered.